


It Feels Like Christmas, Part Two

by jeweldancer



Series: Cas and Dean [26]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas, Destiel - Freeform, Destiel Fluff, Domestic destiel, F/M, Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-10
Updated: 2016-10-10
Packaged: 2018-08-20 14:02:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8251732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeweldancer/pseuds/jeweldancer
Summary: Cas is excited to exchange gifts and celebrate Christmas with his new family.





	

Earlier in December, Sam had made the suggestion that they limit the amount they spent on presents for each other. They all needed to save money unless they wanted to share the cramped apartment forever, and Sam knew that Dean was often too generous with gifts for his own good. 

Jess proposed that they each put in $75, and use it for one present per person. That way, she reasoned, everyone would get one nice gift instead of three crappy ones. The others had agreed, and a flurry of whispering, planning, and hiding of presents ensued. 

Dean's gift had been easiest. His cell phone had met with an unfortunate incident at the garage right after Halloween, and the screen was badly cracked. He had stubbornly refused to upgrade, and at one point Cas had to extract a tiny shard of glass from his ear. Sam had a high school buddy who worked at a local cell phone store, and had managed to get a great deal on a newer model. There was some discussion that Dean would be grouchy about learning to use a new phone, but concerns over his safety finally prevailed. 

Jess's present had taken until a few days before Christmas to purchase, causing Sam no small amount of anxiety. He had spotted a beautiful coat in the window of her favorite store, and had yearned to buy it for Jess. It was a soft fawn color with embroidered pink flowers. Sam thought she would look like an angel in it. Jess had just finished her student teaching, and was hoping to start applying for teaching jobs soon. Her parents had given her some professional outfits suitable for job interviews, and Sam thought the coat would be the perfect finishing touch. Practical yet whimsical; just like Jess herself.

The only problem was the price. Sam had considered cheating and buying it for her anyway, but as he was the one who had proposed budgeting the gifts, it seemed unfair. Plus, he really did need to save money. He was hoping to buy a far more valuable item for Jess in the near future. Sam kept checking back, hoping for a pre-Christmas sale, until the staff of the store began to recognize him. 

The week before Christmas, everyone started to get a little nervous, and Dean demanded that Sam choose another gift. After hearing the argument between the brothers, Cas had emerged from the kitchen, laptop in hand, smiling joyfully. He had found a coupon. It didn't quite bring the price down to $75, but they all agreed to bend the rules in this case and chip in a bit more. The store clerks were delighted that Sam was finally getting to buy the coat, and gift wrapped it for free, with many layers of tissue paper and an elaborate bow.

Cas and Dean had discovered Sam's present while wandering around the mall (Dean had thought it would be good for Cas to get out of the house for a while.) Sam enjoyed listening to music and podcasts, and watching documentaries, but as his tastes differed quite a bit from his brother's, he usually ended up using his laptop and listening through a pair of cheap earbuds. After phoning Jess to consult with her, they ended up buying Sam a pair of nice headphones.

Cas's present had caused the most discussion. Dean wanted to get him something especially nice since he'd had such a difficult December, but Cas didn't seem particularly concerned with material possessions. As long as he had what he needed to live, his sentimental keepsakes, his art supplies, and Dean, he wanted little else. Books were always appreciated, but Dean couldn't think of anything spectacular enough to warrant being Cas's only Christmas present. 

Jess finally suggested a gift card to an art supply store. Dean had resisted, thinking a gift card seemed too impersonal; but Jess persisted. She knew from talking with Cas that there were a number of items he needed, but he was making do with what he had instead. He was concerned about contributing to his new household, and was saving money to give Dean toward rent. Jess explained that such a gift would be deeply personal to Cas, because it was what he truly needed and would use to create. She could picture him in the art supply store, carefully pondering each purchase, making the most of the money. It would be meditative and therapeutic for him. 

Dean had agreed; but he had secretly planned another present for Cas. His boyfriend was too special to have only a tiny gift card for Christmas. 

Of the four of them, only Jess had experienced a traditional happy Christmas morning, so the ritual of present opening meant more to them than most. Instead of tearing off the gift wrap, each of them carefully undid each piece of tape and unfolded the paper reverently. The boys insisted that Jess go first; Cas and Dean were afraid that Sam would explode if he had to wait much longer for her to see the wondrous coat. Jess's reaction did not disappoint. She gasped in surprise and then teared up. She had seen that very coat while window shopping a few weeks before and had visited it a few times since, but she never would have dreamed of telling Sam she wanted it. She hugged each one of the boys and sniffled a heartfelt thanks, ending with an embrace with Sam lasting so long that Dean complained it was "like a friggin Hallmark movie up in here." Jess modeled the coat while Sam took several pictures, and she refused to take it off for a while. 

Dean was pleased with his new phone, and protested that he was not nearly as technophobic as Sam claimed he was. Directly afterward he was forced to ask Sam how to turn on the phone, but being as it was Christmas Sam ignored the opportunity for mocking his brother. They made a date to go to the cell phone store the next day and activate it. Dean's favorite thing about his gift was not the lack of broken glass, but that it would now be much easier to text Cas. 

Sam was so excited about his headphones that he immediately plugged them into his laptop and began listening to his favorite album. The others indulged him for two songs before Jess pried them off his head so that they could watch Cas open his present.

Dean's heart was in his throat as Cas unwrapped the small box. If Cas looked disappointed, he would probably have promised to buy him every book in Singer's bookstore to make up for it. He fidgeted as Cas carefully folded the wrapping paper and placed it on the coffee table--was he going to save it for next year or something?

It turned out that Cas was enchanted by the idea of picking out his own gift. He was like a small child given ten bucks and promised a trip to the dollar store. "This is so very thoughtful!" he exclaimed, and entered an intense discussion with Jess about what would be best to buy. Dean breathed a sigh of relief and leaned his head on Cas's shoulder. 

"So you really like it?" Dean whispered in his ear. 

"I love it! I've never gotten a gift card before. And it's to my favorite store! Maybe I can go tomorrow. They might be having an after-Christmas sale."

"I have something else for you, but it's for later. It's just from me."

Cas gave him a quick kiss. "I have something else for you, too."

"You shouldn't have..." Dean began, but Cas shushed him.

"Did you really think I'd let you get only a phone for Christmas? Useful, but so impersonal. And after you got me such a fun present."

Dean grinned and leaned back on the couch to watch his little family. Jess was stroking the embroidered flowers on her new coat, and Sam was reading the instruction manual for the headphones. Cas stowed his wrapping paper in one of his dresser drawers. "I might use it for a mixed-media piece," he explained to Dean happily. 

Jess checked her watch. "I'd better put the casserole in. The others will be here in an hour, and it'll need to cool off a bit before we eat."

**Author's Note:**

> One more part to It Feels Like Christmas--hopefully tomorrow--and then we're on to New Year's!


End file.
